The Winter Spell
by DuoKnights
Summary: Three teenage girls are transported to another world as one of them reads a spell from a mysterious book! Their only concern is finding a way home, but it is not so simple. With Zendric still trapped in the abyss, the Knights will have to figure it out on their own. And when feelings of affection come into play, saying goodbye will be the hardest spell to break. MAIN CHAR X OC'S.
1. Chapter 1

**Story cover was made by Vanmec. You can find more of the artist's wonderful work on twitter, vanmec_ci**

**Story takes place three years later.**

Eilonwy Collins was so engrossed with her studies that she hadn't heard the bell go off.  
"Elle, you can go home now." Her teacher, Mrs. Jenkins, stood over her desk.  
Eilonwy sniffed and pushed her glasses up her nose as she looked up and blinked a few times. "Oh..." Was all she said before quickly gathering up her belongings and hurrying out of the classroom. She had been studying for her finals right before Christmas break. In fact, that's all she ever seemed to do.  
_I'm going to leave this town someday. I'm going to leave and never come back._ That's what she told everyone, and that's also why she studied so much. Getting into college and having a good education was important to her. In her small town where she grew up, it was filled with people who had been living there their whole lives' too. She didn't want that for herself. She wanted to go far and exceed. But once in a while, she enjoyed some extra-curriculum, such as reading fantasy novels, or practicing her writing skills in Elvish and Dwarvish, and sometimes even Goblin. They had the best insults, aside from the Dwarfs.

As she slung her backpack on, she pulled her gloves out of her coat pockets and slipped them on. It was cold outside and there was plenty of snow to go around.  
_I'll leave and go somewhere warm all year round, like California, or Arizona.  
_Eilonwy was from Wisconsin, therefore snow happened EVERY year, and the bitter winter winds made her face hurt worse every time she stepped outside. One would think after dealing with such harsh weather for seventeen years they'd be used to it by now. Nope, not Eilonwy!  
"Show us what's inside your bag." Said a boy's voice.  
Eilonwy rounded the corner off the school grounds and found her friend, Tabitha, cornered by two bullies. "Hey!" Eilonwy hollered and ran at them. She didn't give the bullies time to think as she slipped off her backpack and swung it as fast as she could at the boy nearest to her. She smacked him right in the face, knocking him on his rump.  
"Ouch!" He cried.  
"Run, Tabby!" Eilonwy cried breathlessly and her friend took off running.  
"You adopted freak!" Yelled the second bully. He reached for Eilonwy's arm but slipped on ice instead and landed next to his friend.  
"At least my parents love me." Eilonwy countered and she ran in direction Tabitha had run.  
What the bully said was only half true. She was adopted, yes, but a freak...that all depended on your definition. As for Eilonwy, she may have been a little odd, but she was far from a freak, at least in her opinion.  
"Psst! Over here, Elle!" Tabitha whispered as loud as she could from behind a tree, although it didn't do her much good. Tabitha was slightly plump, and her bright blue coat made her stick out like a sore thumb. Plus, her rosy red cheeks matched the color of her hair, and that too stood out like an eye-sore among the clean white snow.  
Eilonwy made her way over and looked up at her friend with a smile. "Those boys won't be coming after us. I don't think so anyway, so don't worry!" Even though Eilonwy was two years older than Tabitha, the young bookworm had ceased to stop growing after she reached five-two.  
"Are you sure?" Tabitha asked as she looked over Eilonwy's shoulder.  
Eilonwy rested her hands on her hips. "Yes, I'm sure. Have I have stirred you wrong?"  
Tabitha thought for a tiny moment. "Well, there was that one time—"  
"Yeah, yeah. C'mon! Claire is waiting for us." Elionwy didn't give her friend time to finish that sentence and walked on ahead.

When the girls finally reached their destination, Eilonwy looked left and right. They stood in front of the library where they were supposed to meet Claire.  
"I thought you said she was waiting outside. Do you think she got cold and went inside?" Tabitha asked.  
Eilonwy scoffed. "Claire loves the cold more than the polar bears. Yes, I'm sure." She took out her cellphone from her jeans pocket and doubled checked her texts.

Suddenly, someone tugged on Eilonwy's braid, causing her to drop her phone. Eilonwy was ready to turn around and punch the person and then stopped when she saw who it was. It was Claire and she was laughing so hard her red nose and cheeks out-shined her olive skin complexion.  
Eilonwy stomped her foot. "Claire! I almost hit you." She then quickly bent down to retrieve her phone. She brushed the snow off and stuck it back in her pocket. "You know I hate it when you do that." She flung her braid over and caressed her shiny light almond brown hair.  
Claire laughed again. "Oh, come on, Elle." She stepped forward and ruffled her friend's hair. "You couldn't hit me even if you tried." Standing taller than her two friends, Clair held Eilonwy at bay as she pretended to yawn, all the while Eilonwy swatted at her but was always out of arms reach. And even if Eilonwy managed to make a blow it would be as unimpressive as her petite frame. She was tiny all around: small feet, smalls hands, and even a small chest. However, if looks could kill, Eilonwy's fiery gaze would. Her heterochromia usually caught people's attention fairly quickly when first meeting them. One eye an amber color, and the other green.  
"Let's go inside, you guys. I'm getting cold." Tabitha spoke up.  
"Okay, fine." Claire released Eilonwy and flicked her long black hair back.  
"Finally," Eilonwy grumbled and straightened her coat. She turned about, making her way up the steps and then slipped, falling on her front.  
"Whoa! Are you okay?" Tabitha knelt and offered Eilonwy her hand.  
Eilonwy forced a breath out of her lungs. "I'm fine..." She struggled.  
"You're such a clutz, Elle. There's no ice." She patted the steps with her boot. "The steps have been salted." Claire's words were true, Eilonwy was clumsy. She often tripped over own two feet. It was no surprise that she took a liking to books rather than sports.  
Both Tabitha and Claire helped Eilonwy to her feet and made sure she wouldn't fall again.

Once inside, the girls took off their coats and headed straight to the back of the library where they had claimed a secluded spot as their own. It was in a backroom in the far corner; away from prying eyes and ears.  
"What's on the agenda today?" Her deep brown eyes lit up.  
"Hold your toes, youngster," Eilonwy told her as she slipped off her backpack and placed it in front of her.  
Claire scoffed. "I'm only one year younger than you. Now hurry it up!"  
Eilonwy grinned and shared a look with each of her friends before pulling out a black leather-bound book. It was huge, not to mention heavy. The edges of the pages were lined with gold color.  
Claire looked unimpressed. "A book?"  
"It's not just any book." She opened it to the first page. "It's a spellbook!"  
Tabitha gasped. "Is that real? Like, real spells, and stuff?" Eilonwy nodded. "Are you sure you should be messing around with that thing?"  
"What harm ever came from reading a stupid book?" Claire commented.  
"Lots of things." Tabitha shot back.  
"Shh." Eilonwy waved her hand at them to get their attention again. "Take a look at this." She placed her finger under the first line of words, reading them aloud. "Mend the ties that bind the blood. Let not one enter less they be one." She stole a glance at her friends before continuing. "Through the eyes of truth, you will see, for the lips they speak all lies to thee." The words stopped and Eilon turned the page, the paper cutting her finger as she did so and a thin line of blood seeped into the edge of the page. She stuck her finger in her mouth to soothe the pain and when the sting subsided she read on. "The curse of daggers doom, their flesh will change into you. Be not wary of the mysteries ahead; the dragon's prophecy is no longer dead."

A shuddering silence fell over the girls' heads.  
"I don't like the sound of that," Tabitha said. "Put it away. Now."  
"Does it say anymore?" Claire pressed on.  
Eilonwy nodded. "The revealed secrets of a silver spell mark a figure hidden so well. The wizard's stone has been turned, the mystery to the lair has been left to burn." She turned the page only to be stumped. It was a different language!  
"Does that look familiar to you?" asked Claire.  
Eilonwy shook her head. "No, unfortunately." She rubbed her chin, thinking hard.  
Before another word could be uttered, a pale green light illuminated from the book and engulfed the girls within mere seconds.

Next thing the girls knew they had fallen on a cold stone floor. It was dark and smelled of mold and rust.  
Tabitha shrieked. "What happened?" She flailed her arms, smacking Claire in the process, and then grabbed on to her. "Claire, is that you?" She blinked multiple times but the darkness was still there.  
Eilonwy grumbled. "Are you guys okay?"  
"Elle..."Claire spoke softly, trying not to lose her cool. "What the HELL happened?"  
"I don't know." To hear those three words come out of her mouth was rare.

Not long after, footsteps could be heard making their way toward them. A door creaked open and light from a fire torch lighted the room, and then another, and another.  
"Oh, good." Said Tabitha. "Someone is here to hel—" She stopped, took in a deep breath, and screamed. She dug her fingernails into Claire's arm, but Claire was too frightened to make any sudden movements and endured the pain.  
Little orange and green creatures circled the girls. They carried with them jagged knives and daggers and even spears. Their beady black eyes narrowed and their mouths turned into a scowl. They were less than half the girls' size, but that didn't make them any less terrifying. One of them dared raise their spear at Tabitha to shut her up, and she did by cupping her hand over her mouth.  
"Elle...what are these things?"  
Eilonwy surveyed their surroundings quickly, trying to find a means of escape. There were none. Instead of answering Claire's question, Eilonwy turned her attention on the one creature who looked to be in charge. He wore a broken crown atop his head and crossed his arms as he sneered at the girls. Eilonwy raised her hand to her head and waved, giving the creature a crooked smile. "Maal 'dunn." Which translated to 'hello' in Goblin.

_Mend the ties that bind the blood. Let not one enter less they be one._

_Through the eyes of truth, you will see, for the lips they speak all lies to thee._

_The curse of daggers doom, their flesh will change into you. Be not wary of the mysteries ahead; the dragon's prophecy is no longer dead._

_The revealed secrets of a silver spell mark a figure hidden so well. The wizard's stone has been turned, the mystery to the lair has been left to burn._

**Author's note: Consider this a trial run. If you guys like it so far, PLEASE let me know by leaving a review, otherwise I'm going to assume no one is interested and trash the story. By the way, I hope you like the spell I created. I did my best to include all 12 books. Not sure if you noticed, but that's what I did.  
Also, story will contain some strong language and suggestive scenes a little further on.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

The orange goblin sneered at Eilonwy. He picked his jagged teeth with a tiny bone.  
"Why does it look like he wants to eat us?" Tabitha whispered.  
"Maybe because he does." Claire's comment didn't help and Tabitha turned a shade whiter.  
Eilonwy, on the other hand, cleared her throat and said hello again to the head goblin. This time the goblin spoke in his native tongue and the three girls held their breaths.  
"Do you know what he's saying?" Claire asked, still whispering.  
Eilonwy shook her head. "No. And even if I did, he's talking way too fast for me to catch what he's saying."  
One of the smaller goblins poked Eilonwy in the leg with a metal rod that was twice his size.  
"Hey, stop that!" Eilonwy barked, raising one fist and stomping her foot. The little goblin flinched and hid behind his friends. It would appear he wasn't so tough after all.  
"You...thieves...take...treasure." The head goblin croacked.  
The trio whipped their heads about and gaped at the leader.  
"You speak English?" Eilonwy blurted.  
"Treasure ours...no take. THIEVES!" He shrieked.  
Eilonwy was quick to hold up her hands and shook them violently in front of her. "No no no! Not thieves!"  
"LIES!"  
Tabitha squealed again and latched on to Claire's arm.  
The leader of the goblins threw his arms into the air and thrashed around. He yelled in his native tongue again, no doubt cursing at the girls.

Suddenly, the silver crown slipped off his head and fell to the stone floor with a loud clank. The blue gem that had been embedded on the front popped off and both the silver circlet and gem rolled over and stopped at Eilonwy's feet. No one said a word, not even the goblins. It was a long minute before anyone did anything.  
"I think you dropped this." Eilonwy bent down to pick up the silver circlet and gem, and when she did the goblin gasped. The circlet melted, turning into an ooze-type substance. When it hit the ground a faint sizzle could be heard and a small puff of smoke wafted up into the air. The blue gem, on the other hand, shined in Eilonwy's right hand and morphed into her skin. There in her palm sat the imprint of the gem softly glowing.  
Eilonwy shrieked.  
Claire and Tabitha shrieked.  
Even the goblins let out an ungodly cry that seemed to rattle the walls and ceiling.

Eilonwy wiped her hand on her jeans furiously, trying her damnedest to get the gem off, but alas to no avail. The darn thing was stuck there for good it seemed like. "Get it off! Get it off!" She cried wiggling her arm and jumping up and down.  
The head goblin yelled again, this time unsheathing his short sword and pointing it at the girls. "THIEVES!"  
The goblins quickly swarmed them, closing in on the girls. They raised their weapons, ready to strike.  
As one goblin inched closer, he waved the fire torch out in front of him quickly to scare the girls. They screamed and huddled even more tightly together.  
"No!" Eilonwy held out her hand, the blue gem facing out toward the goblin. Fire spat out from her palm and lit the goblin on fire. The goblins roared. "What the...?" Eilonwy closed her hand into a tight fist, confused.  
"You just—" Tabitha nearly gagged and she brought a hand to her mouth once again. The smell of the goblin's sizzling body was horrid.  
"Do it again!" Claire yelled and forced Eilonwy to hold up her arm. Fire spat out again, scaring the goblins away.

As soon as the goblins backed away, Claire grabbed the torch laying on the stone floor and then took hold of Eilonwy, and then Eilonwy grabbed Tabitha. From there they bolted for the nearest exit. "I don't know how you did that, but I think you just saved our lives!" Said Claire. The goblins could be heard building up their courage to run after them.  
"Where are we?" Tabitha cried.  
"I don't know." Said Claire as she took a sharp right and never looking back as they continued to run.  
"I want to go home!" Whined Tabitha.  
Claire glanced over her shoulder at Eilonwy. "Why did you have to read from that book?" Eilonwy didn't say anything. "Elle!"  
"I don't feel so good." Eilonwy could barely keep up so Claire pulled on the sleeve of her friend's shirt.  
"Oh no, somethings wrong with Elle. Claire! What do we do?" The girls took a sharp left; the goblins could still be heard chasing them.  
"Just keep running!" Claire yelled.

Eventually, a light shone at the end of the long hall.  
"Oh good, an exit!" Claire breathed breathlessly, but all too soon it seemed like. Claire stopped in the nick of time before falling over the ledge. The light poking out of the dimly lighted hall led to a second-story room that had fallen into ruin and served no more purpose than a risky fall where other bits of ruins lay scattered. Eilonwy stopped right behind Claire, brushing lightly against her. Tabitha, however, she was unable to stop soon enough at the speed she was going and knocked into the girls. They fell off the ledge of the second floor to wherever they were. Luckily they landed on sparse patches of soft grass to cushion their fall.  
"Ouch..." Claire brought herself up on her knees and rubbed her head. "Tabby."  
"I'm sorry." The poor girl sniffed and blinked back a few tears. She looked around, trying to find Eilonwy. "Oh, thank heavens you're okay." She saw her friend sitting on her bottom, rubbing her wrists. Beads of sweat trickled down her temples; something was wrong. But before Tabitha could comment, the shrieking of the goblins had finally made their way to the girls. They stood on the second floor peering down at them. Spears and arrows ready to fly. And just before they could attack a loud roar erupted from somewhere behind one of the old ruins. The ground shook as a beast made its grand appearance. The goblins scurried back into the darkness and ran away, leaving the girls to deal with whatever it was that had shown up.  
"A bear!" Screamed Tabitha.  
"An owl!" Screamed Claire.  
Eilonwy forced herself to stand and with a shaky arm, she faced her palm out at the beast. "An owlbear..." Her voice could barely be heard over the owlbear's tremendous roar.

The blue gem glowed, fire shooting out like a cannon and hitting the owlbear. The giant beast went up in flames. It flapped its wings which did it more harm than good as all that air and flapping just fed the flames. The owlbear ran off in a blazing fire, literally, and Eilonwy collapsed.  
"Elle!" Claire jumped to her feet and ran to her friend's side. She shook her, trying to get her attention, but Eilonwy only continued to lay there, mumbling.  
Tabitha suddenly gasped. "Claire! Look at her arm!" Eilonwy's arm was turning purple and spreading from the tips of her fingers and up her arm. Her veins in her arm pulsed a vibrant blue color, the same as the gem. "What do we do? We have to help her!" By now, Tabitha had let her tears go, her rosy cheeks wet.  
Claire was near to crying herself but she knew blubbering like a helpless person would get them nowhere. "Take her other arm and help me carry her," Claire said taking Eilonwy's right arm and putting it over her shoulder. Tabitha did the same with the other arm, and together they dragged their friend away from all the rubble and down a hill.

The landscape went from rocky to grassy plains. They followed the one trail they were on, hoping it would lead them somewhere—anywhere—as long as it was safe.  
"Look, a post with signs!" Tabitha motioned her head. The wooden post was placed in the middle of the road where there were now multiple paths to choose from.  
Claire squinted her eyes to read. "Dungeons of Doom." She read. "That's where we came from."  
"What about the others?"  
Claire did her best to try and read the other names on the signs but she couldn't pronounce them properly. Finally, there was one name that stood out in big letters: Promise. "There's a place called Promise." Claire chuckled. "Huh, sounds promising." Even in such a time of need, Claire found it easiest to cope with hard times while cracking jokes. It kept her sanity in check.  
Tabitha scolded her. "Claire! This is not the time nor the place for jokes! Eilonwy needs help!"  
Claire took a deep breath and then said, "To Promise." And the three kept heading straight.

The minutes dragged on and Claire thought that maybe she had read the sign wrong. But she soon pushed all her doubts aside as a high stone wall with a tall and sturdy looking gate came into view. Men were standing at the top of a watchtower on both sides.  
"Help!" Claire and Tabitha cried out together. "Help us!"  
The men immediately turned their attention to the girls and raised their bows. "Halt!"  
The girls stopped dead in their tracks, scared.  
"Please," begged Claire. "We need your help—our friend needs your help! I...I think she's dying!"  
Tabitha shot Claire a worried look. _Dying? Oh, no._  
"Don't come any closer, or we'll fire!"  
"Please!" Cried Claire one last time. The tears were working their way up and she wasn't sure how much more she could take before completely losing it. But the men would hear none of it and continued to keep their arrows dead-set on the girls, ready to fire if they made the wrong move.

**Please leave a review and tell me what you think. The crown Eilonwy picked up is called 'Crown of the faceless Queen'. I've tweaked it a bit to flow with the story better. If you play Dungeons and Dragons maybe you are familiar with the name. It's a cursed item. **


	3. Chapter 3

**One week prior to Eilonwy, Tabitha, and Claire's arrival...  
**

Kellach, the eldest son of Jourdain and Torrin, had had a restless night as he tossed and turned in his sleep. He had been dreaming again—a dream he had been having for the last few months about a girl. She wore strange clothes and lived in a place with buildings that seemed to reach the sky. Most of all, it was noisy, what with unusual machines driving on stone surfaces and the like. Of course, all of this was a blur to him, as his reoccurring dream never really made any sense. On top of that, he had no idea what he was seeing, only that maybe his crazy brain was having more obscure imaginations. However, the girl was the easiest to fix his sights on. He followed her without even trying; it was like his body moved on its own without his feet even having to move.  
He had so many questions—about the girl and everything else.

At last, he was free from his mind-boggling dream and woke up in a sweat. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment, waiting for his heart to stop pounding. His mind still felt fuzzy, and his body feeling somewhat foreign to him. It was the same feeling when his soul was transported into the Spirit Keeper to save Zendric's life all those years ago. Only this time, his soul was able to move around freely.  
The seventeen-year-old finally lifted his head from his pillow to get up for the day. His younger brother, Driskoll, was still asleep and snoring softly. There was a wash-bowl of cool water sitting on a corner table near his bed; after splashing some water on his face to help further wake himself up, Kellach tip-toed his way out of the room and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. His mother was already up and prepping breakfast and his clockwork dragon familiar sat at the window, clicking and ticking at the things going on outside. When he saw Kellach, he gracefully propped himself up on his master's shoulder.  
"Good morning," Jourdain said softly in that sweet motherly voice. She had been absent in his life for so long, five years to be exact, that it was almost unreal at times to see her back in their home.  
Kellach opened his mouth wide and yawned. "Morning," he walked up to the wooden counter and started helping Jourdain with breakfast. He cut various vegetables and threw them into a pot of boiling water. He was used to cooking, had to do it every day for himself and Driskoll after their mother vanished during the Sundering of the Seal. Even after her return, Kellach continued to cook, helping his mother with the little things. Plus, early mornings were usually all the time of day they'd have together one-on-one; where they could talk about things without getting interrupted.

The young wizard stared blankly at the boiling pot as he stirred the vegetables, his familiar, Locky, cooing.  
"The look on your face tells me something is bothering you." Jourdain nudged her son in the shoulder with her elbow. Kellach stood a head taller than her, something she was still trying to get used to. "What is it?" she asked.  
As calm and collected as Kellach looked on the outside, right now he was letting his guard down. He let out a long drawn-out sigh and moved the pot off the burner. "It...it's hard to explain." He scratched at his temple, eyes squeezed shut as he tried to fit the pieces together from his dream.  
Jourdain patted Kellach on the shoulder. "Come, tell me about it at the table. You can let the vegetables cool for now." She walked over to the table where she took a seat sitting across from her son. She sat patiently waiting for her oldest to speak.  
Kellach took in a deep breath through his nostrils and slowly let it out. He rested his elbows on the table, arms crossed, and avoiding his mother's gaze, and Locky hopped off his shoulder, sitting on the table now. "I've been having these weird dreams lately—no, it's the same dream over and over." Jourdain nodded once, listening carefully. "There are these buildings that look so bizarre, and people walking around in very peculiar clothes. Nothing at all like what we have here—anywhere!"  
"A different realm, perhaps?" Jourdain pitched the idea.  
"You see, that's what I was thinking, but why though?" He suddenly remembered the girl, the tip of his nose turning pink.  
It was subtle, but Jourdain noticed the change in his behavior. "There's something else, isn't there?"  
Kellach nodded weakly. "There is..." His voice trailed off.  
Jourdain was eager to know, so she said, "Well, go on then, tell me. It's okay, son."  
His mother's soothing voice calmed his itching nerves slightly. "I keep seeing this girl. Among everyone else I see, it's her that sticks out the most. Some times I even follow her, but it's more like I don't have a choice. My body moves on its own."  
"Describe the girl to me." Said Jourdain.

Bit by bit, Kellach described the young female in his dreams, her appearance slowly falling into place. Kellach went from timid to confident about the way he spoke of her, and soon, Jourdain had a good idea of what was going on.  
"Sounds to me like you're describing someone you're meant to meet."  
Kellach blinked at her. "What do you mean?" He rubbed his chin, trying to figure it all out.  
The beautiful female wizard chuckled softly. "Sorry, I don't mean to laugh. It's just, oftentimes, wizards, or people who live with a higher level of spirituality, tend to dream about their future spouse."  
"You mean..." Kellach couldn't spit out the words.  
Jourdain nodded proudly. "Yes, Kellach, you're dreaming about your future wife."  
Kellach's cheeks heated. "Then how does that explain everything else I'm seeing?"  
Jourdain spoke up about the certain possibility that this girl could indeed be from a different world. "I'm almost certain you'd find out more about this in some of Zendric's old books."  
The young wizard swallowed a hard lump. "But that means going to his house." Kellach had barely taken a foot into the old wizard's home since he took the place of his mother in the Abyss.

Before more could be said, a pair of clunky boots made their way downstairs, and Jourdain finished getting the rest of breakfast together.  
Driskoll had finally woken up. He had grown a lot since Curston was renamed Promise. Although he still wasn't as tall as his older brother, he stood level with his mother; he took a seat at the table and waited for breakfast.  
Breakfast was simple, yet tasty, the bacon and eggs went well with the boiled vegetables, soaking up all the runny yolk from the eggs. And while Driskoll tore into his food, carrying on a fun conversation with his mother, Kellach barely touched his food. He stared at Driskoll, wondering if his younger brother even noticed how quiet he was being. Probably not. Kellach had too much on his mind, and his mother's advice left him with much to ponder over.  
"Dad says he has a special assignment for me today," Driskoll said proudly as he wiped his mouth clean.  
"Oh, and what's that?" Jourdain asked, sitting down with her sons.  
Driskoll shrugged. "I don't know. He won't tell me." The fifteen-year-old boy had been a scout for his father's watch for the last year and a half. His goal was to someday take over his father's position and become head of the watch, but that wouldn't be for many years. There were still so many things for him to learn. Suddenly, Driskoll's eyes went wide and he stood up fast, the chair behind him nearly falling over. "Oh shit! That reminds me, I can't be late!" He grabbed his sword and scabbard and made a run for it.  
"Language," Jourdain said, but Driskoll was already out the door.  
"I should be going, too." Kellach stood, his movements far less sporadic than his younger brother. He took his dirty dishes and cleaned them.  
"And where would that be?" asked his mother.  
Kellach suppressed a heavy sigh. "To see an old friend." Was all he said. Once he finished cleaning his fair share, he grabbed his leather satchel and headed out the door, his dragonet flying after him.

* * *

Taking his mother's advice, Kellach made his way to Zendric's tower. He walked with his head down the entire way, deep in thought. He didn't need to look ahead to know if he was going the right way. After staying away for so long, he still knew his way there like the back of his hand.  
Locky flew over his master's head, this way and that, chirping and whirring. Finally, Kellach stood at the foot of the old wizard's home. He stared up at the black iron-bound door for a moment, contemplating if this was a good idea. He felt the key to the door safely tucked away in his robes. Locky brought him back to speed when he landed on his shoulder, clicking his mechanical tongue.  
"You're right," said Kellach. "I need to do this." He slipped the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. It opened with a loud creak and he winced at the ear-pinching sound.

The tower had been left to sit idly by; no one had the heart to clean the place out in hopes that Zendric would one day return. The place had a peculiar smell, and Kellach scrunched his nose in an effort to not sneeze over everything. There was dust everywhere, and the only light in the room came from a small, single window.  
The dragonet flew off Kellach's shoulder and landed atop a stack of dust-covered books. It was lop-sided, causing the stack to topple over and Locky flying off to find another place to perch himself  
"Be careful!" Kellach told his familiar, dust flying into his face, making him have a coughing fit. He waved a hand in front of his face, trying to rid himself of the attack of the dust bunnies.

Soon after the dust subsided, Kellach stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. The place seemed smaller than he remembered, but he was shorter then. It made sense that after being away for so long that certain things would look different to him now. The braided wool rug beneath his feet smelled of mold; rotted food still sat on a cracked wooden plate, and curtains had resorted to nothing but rags with holes as month ate away at them. Kellach was certain that other bugs had decided to make the old Wizard's home theirs. He shuddered at the thought.  
Standing there made him feel guilty. He so desperately wanted to save his old teacher—to bring him back to Promise. Kellach wasn't stupid, though. Far from it, actually. But he knew that even if his mentor came back, things would not be the same. They never would. Jourdain was his teacher now, and he had learned so much from her.

No matter the pain Kellach was feeling, it was time to change—time to make a difference in his life, and to do that, he needed a place where he could truly be alone to think, to study...and to breathe.  
Kellach opened the window, letting in the fresh air. He tore down the ratty curtains and threw them in the fireplace. From there, he snapped his fingers, a flame igniting in the old hearth and burning away the filth. Locky cocked his head from side to side, watching his master, chirping.  
Kellach turned to face his friendly familiar. "What does it look like? I'm cleaning." Locky chirped again. This time Kellach rolled his eyes, a smirk forming at the edges of his mouth. "First time for everything." He told the clockwork dragonet.


	4. Chapter 4

**Two days prior to Eilonwy, Tabitha, and Claire's arrival...**

Driskoll jumped in place as he heard Guffy bark an order at a boy two years younger than himself. The boy, whose name was often forgotten by others, was new to the Watch. He was slightly round in the middle, his hands not knowing where to go but hang awkwardly at his sides. Driskoll felt bad for the kid and wanted to try and help him, so he approached him. After all, this was the assignment his father, Torrin, had given him, and his voice echoed in his mind: Teach this boy how things are done around here. Keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn't screw things up! You're a Knight of the Silver Dragon, and I expect nothing less from you.  
Driskoll scuffed his boot to the ground, dirt flying up like a cloud of dust; the days had been very dry for almost a month now. With winter finally over, the spring rain had yet to come. When Driskoll walked over to the boy whose face beat red from embarrassment, he placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Look, kid," Driskoll began. "If you want Guffy to stop giving you a hard time, learn to pay attention."  
"I have a name," the boy did not look pleased. "And I am paying attention."  
Driskoll opened his mouth, prepared to say something, and then thought otherwise. What is his name? "Yes, you do, and you are! But hey, I was once in your shoes, too. Remember that." The boy nodded weakly, his head drooping as he could do nothing but stare at his boots now.

Feeling even more sorry for the boy, Driskoll scratched the back of his head, a habit he picked up along the way of being part of the watch. He suddenly smacked the boy in the arm, a bit too hard, and immediately apologized for almost knocking him over. "Ooops!" Finally, the bots name clicked. "Ah! Finan!" Driskoll said proudly, doing his best to cheer the boy up. "Uh, Fin."  
"Finan is fine." The younger boy said, straightening himself out.  
Driskoll chuckled nervously. "Right. Listen, just do what the others say, as long as it's within reason. No questions asked. Even I still have a lot to learn." He placed his hands on his chest and smiled, hoping what he said would make Finan feel better.  
Finan took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "You're right. I'll try harder from now on."  
Driskoll smacked him in the arm again. "That's the spirit!"  
A bell sounded in the distance, signaling that it was now noon, and as if on cue, Driskoll's stomach growled.  
"Get something to eat, Fin. It'll make you feel better."  
"I-it's Finan." The young boy called out, but Driskoll was already rounding the corner.

The fifteen-year-old boy sprinted from Watchers Hall and through the streets of New Quarter, where he made his way to Main Square. The fresh scent of delectable food wafted through the air, and his leather pouch jostled with coins. He let his nose do the searching. Whatever he felt like eating, his nose would certainly know better than his eyes. At last, he came across a booth of a man selling turkey legs, freshly seasoned with just the right amount of spices.  
"Would you like one, lad?" The man said. He was tall with a protruding gut, a short bushy beard, and fingers that looked like sausages.  
Never trust a skinny chef, thought Driskoll. "Yes, please!" Driskoll was already opening his pouch to purchase said turkey leg.  
The man laughed, pleased with Driskoll's eagerness to devour such a tasty lunch. "One silver coin." The man told him, holding out his left hand while his right held the turkey leg hostage.  
Driskoll dropped his silver coin into the man's hands and happily took his turkey leg.

It was an unusually warm spring day, and Driskoll wondered if Mother Nature had decided to skip the season and go straight into summer. He hoped not.  
"Dris!" A lively female voice spoke out from amongst the crowd.  
"Moyra!" Driskoll waved her over. He and his brother had been friends with Moyra since they were very young. She was like a sister to them both.  
"You bought lunch without me." She pretended to pout. The young beauty flashed her bright green eyes at him, her crimson hair was gleaming in the sun as it shined down upon their heads. "Can I have a bite?" she asked, flicking her long braid back. She had worn her hair short for so long until two years ago when she finally decided to let it grow out. She was looking more like her mother, Royma, every day.  
"Uh," Driskoll didn't stand a chance as his friend quickly came in for a bite, snagging a giant chunk.  
"Mmm!" One side of her mouth puffed out as she began chewing. "Juicy."  
Driskoll's mouth hung open. "You took the best part." He grumbled.  
Moyra chuckled, mouth half full, and then swallowed the rest of her food before talking. "Too bad. You should have eaten that part first."  
"I was saving it for last." He took a bite out of his turkey leg, a long strip of it hanging out of his mouth. He took his fingers and shoved the strip the rest of the way into his mouth.  
Moyra wiped her mouth clean with the back of her hand; she looked around. "Where's Kell?"  
"Zendric's tower."  
Moyra gaped at him. "What? Since when?" She tried snagging another bite, but Driskoll moved his turkey leg away from her reach just in time.  
"A few days ago," Driskoll answered her.  
Moyra rested her hands on her hips, her head cocking to one side. "And why am I now just finding out about this?"  
A shrug came from Driskoll. "I didn't find out until yesterday. I've been sleeping at Watchers Hall; a lot to do, ya know?"  
"Hmm," now she crossed her arms. "Is he there now?"  
Again Driskoll shrugged. "Probably. But if he is, I doubt he wants to be bothered. He's been moody the last few weeks. Haven't you noticed?"  
"Not really," Moyra admitted. To be honest, Moyra had other things on her mind. At sixteen, there were certain things a girl started to think about, but she wasn't going to spill out her emotions to Driskoll.

Suddenly, a half-orc pushed his way passed the two teenagers. He grunted and yelled at them to get out of his way.  
Moyra pulled at the sleeve of Driskoll's jacket. "Let's go."  
"Go where? I have to head back soon."  
"To Zendric's tower. Where else?"  
"But—" Driskoll tried to protest, but it was futile. He let his vibrant friend pull him along.

* * *

Kellach had spent the last couple days cleaning out Zendric's tower. He had thrown away the old rugs and torn curtains and replaced them. He let his magic do most of the work as animated brooms and wash buckets danced around the room, cleaning the floors twice over and even the window. He had gone through all his old teacher's books and carefully dusted them off by hand, placing them back on the shelf in alphabetical order by author.  
Anyone walking by the old tower stole glances at the dust and dirt flying out the open door and on to the streets of Promise. Somewhere between all the madness of cleaning, Locky had gotten lost in heaps of old clothes and blankets that had been eaten away by moths and other bugs. They also had bat droppings that were annoying to pick up, but it was nothing magic couldn't handle with a wave of Kellach's hand.  
Locky flew up into the air and sat atop the stone edge surrounding the fireplace, and watch his master take said blankets and clothes and ignite them in a blue flame. They disintegrated into a pile of grey dust, and the broom was quick to sweep it out the door.

Once finished, Kellach slumped into the giant cushioned chair. His robes were covered in dust, his hair was a mess and his underarms were somewhat sweaty. But the deed was done. Zendric's old home was clean again.  
Locky chirped and flapped his mechanical wings.  
Kellach smiled, a little tired from using so much magic in one day. "Yes, my good friend, we're finally done." He took a deep, calm, and relaxing breath. Closing his eyes, he was hoping to get in a few minutes of rest, but before he could wave the door shut, a pair of footsteps came disrupting his contended mood.  
"Kellach!" Driskoll burst through the door with Moyra right behind him.  
Kellach peeled one eye open. "Oh, it's you guys." He sat up a little straighter.  
"What do you mean, 'Oh, it's you guys'?" Moyra huffed.  
"Nothing,"  
His redheaded friend raised a brow and walked across the room to pet Locky on the head. She said nothing else lest she started a pointless argument with the young wizard.  
"So this is what you've been up to the last few days." Driskoll spun in a circle, admiring how clean everything was. "What possessed you to do this?" He stopped to look at his brother.  
Kellach rose from the chair and brushed some of the dirt off his robes. "I needed a change."  
"A change?" Driskoll said in question.  
"You know, just trying to figure some stuff out." Kellach oftentimes spoke in such ways when he was avoiding telling people the truth to how he really felt, but at the same time wasn't lying.  
Driskoll shifted from one foot to the other. "Kell..."

On the other hand, Moyra found her way to the table where a tankard of water sat and poured herself a hefty glass. "What's on your mind, Kell? Whatcha hiding from us?"  
"I'm not hiding anything," Kellach said in defense.  
"Then why are you acting so weird?" Driskoll finally called him out on his odd behavior.  
"I'm not acting weird." The young wizard tried to reason with his brother and friend.  
"I bet Kell secretly has a girlfriend that he doesn't want us finding out about." She took a drink.  
Kellach's face burned a bright pink, the ends of hair standing up caused by the magic resonating within his body. "I do not!"  
Moyra spat out her water, spraying Locky. She quickly wiped her mouth dry with her sleeve. "Holy shit, you do!" She pointed at him.  
Kellach's stomach flipped. "I don't, honestly."  
A cheeky grin spread across Driskoll's face. "Who is she?"  
Kellach sighed, flopping back into the chair. "I don't have a girlfriend." He rested his head in his hand.  
Driskoll walked over to the door, closed it, and then leaned against it. "What's going on, Kell?" he asked, a bit more serious now. He knew his father would be wondering where he was, but this was more important.

Even Moyra stopped her sniggering and propped herself on top of the table, waiting for Kellach to speak.  
"I've been having this reoccurring dream about another realm." Moyra straightened her shoulders, her interest piqued, and Driskoll stayed as he was, still. "The things I see in my dream is nothing like we have here. Everything is so vivid like I'm standing there in real-time. The roads and buildings I come across are aberrant yet breathtaking."  
"Have you tried drawing these weird things you see?" asked Moyra.  
Kellach nodded. "I have, but it never turns out how I see it in my mind. Plus..." He stopped.  
"Plus..." Driskoll pressed, he moved his hands forward in a circular motion as if telling Kellach to keep going.  
Kellach's nose went pink. "I keep seeing this girl." Driskoll and Moyra both gasped, and Kellach was quick to settle any thoughts the others might be having. "I already spoke to mom about this."  
"And?" Driskoll wanted to know.  
"And..." Kellach struggled to find the right words. He didn't want to come off as a boy hopelessly drunk on the idea of having a special someone to call his own, even though that's exactly what it was. "And mom told me that wizard's or people who are very spiritual, have dreams about their future spouses."  
Moyra held a hand to her mouth as she couldn't help but gasp again. She glanced over at Driskoll. "Dris! Kellach is going to leave us for a girl!"  
This made Driskoll laugh. Of course, Moyra was only teasing. "That's really cool, Kell. What does she look like?" Moyra adverted her attention back to Kellach. She desperately wanted to know as well.  
A modest smile spanned from one ear to the other as Kellach did his best to describe the girl in his dreams. "Well, she has amazing eyes..." His voice carried on, the only thing to be heard for the next few minutes as he went on to define this girl from another world.

**Author's note: Please leave a review. Anything will do! It helps me update faster.**


	5. Chapter 5

One hour prior to Eilonwy, Tabitha, and Claire's arrival.

A thin feather of smoke weaved through the air from a black chimney; the cloud of grey rose higher than the walls of Promise. Kellach sat on a stool, burning the rest of the trash that had been left behind by his old teacher. The windows were open and airing out the place, though it did little good seeing as the air had been dry and stuffy the last few days. Kellach rolled up his elaborate wizard sleeves and took a string to tie back his hair at the nape of his neck. Sweat dripped down his temples and forehead and he wiped them away.  
Locky chirped and clicked.  
The young wizard sighed. "You're so lucky you can't feel this heat." He fanned himself with his hand. Then, a brilliant idea came to mind. He started moving his wrist in a circular motion, a white blue mist sparkled around. The sounds that came from the spell resonating from his hand popped and cracked. The air around him started to feel cool as it spread.

A swift knock came to the door, causing Kellach to flinch and the spell scatter somewhat uncontrollably throughout the room. It froze parts of the walls, the floor, and a few miscellaneous items. Kellach clenched his fist, upset with himself for losing control over a simple knock. He had been on edge the last few days as his dreams became ever more vivid, and the girl.  
The knock sounded again and this time, with a wave of his hand, Kellach unlocked the door and it swung open on its own.  
"Took you long enough. What have you been doing in here?" Jourdain walked inside, her arms crossed and hidden away inside her gaping sleeves. She sniffed, smelling the burning incense. She also noticed the patches of ice. "Son."  
Kellach continued to sit on the stool, looking into the fire, his back facing his mother.  
"Kellach." Jourdain said with more force.  
"Yes?"  
Jourdain closed the door and grabbed a chair. She sat down next to her son and said, "Kellach, when I said go through some of Zendric's old books, I didn't mean move in."  
Kellach stared at the fire that was close to going out, its embers shone glowing. "I know."  
"Why all this, then?" She slipped her arms free from her sleeves and stretched them out.  
Kellach finally looked at his mother. "Believe me, I'm trying to find the answer to that." His tongue twisted in his mouth. He wanted to say more, but didn't know how. "I'll be eighteen in a few months. I'm not a boy anymore, I'm...I'm a man now."  
"Ah." Jourdain understood completely. "You need your space. But don't you think living somewhere closer to home would be better?"  
Kellach was quick to answer her. "I need to be surrounded something I'm familiar with yet far enough away to not be bothered." He paused. "Please don't take that the wrong way." His face pinched with concern.  
Jourdain nodded, standing. "All right, son. If that's how you feel, than I won't push you to do anything else." She started toward the door but then stopped. "What will you do for money?"  
Kellach hadn't thought that far, but an idea quickly came to mind. "I'll start teaching magic."  
Jourdain raised a brow. "Kell, there are still many things you don't know yet. You are very bright, but you are still learning through me—you still need a teacher."  
A groan slipped through Kellach's mouth as he turned his attention on some books sitting on the shelf. He stood, taking one in hand. "In some ways Zendric is still my teacher. All these things he left behind—I can use them."  
Jourdain fought with herself about saying more. This was another lesson for Kellach to learn, and in order for him to learn it, she need not say anything. Life was a lesson one had to experience on their own. "Okay. Take care then."  
Once the door shut, Kellach snapped his fingers and locked it once again. The book he held in his hands was the Akdam's Traveling spellbook. It was one of the first spellbooks Zendric gave Kellach to learn from.  
For old time's sake, Kellach opened the book and read through the simple spells he once had trouble learning.

* * *

Moyra sat on a barrel slicing an apple with her favorite knife. She snagged the apple from a spiteful woman who charged Royma, her mother, extra money for taking her time in choosing which fruit to buy.  
_All's fair in love and apples, _thought Moyra. She grinned, thinking herself funny.  
Moyra liked to people-watch, scanning main square. Not only was she looking for an opportunity to make some extra coin, but she was also a Knight of the Silver Dragon, and protecting her town was something she took pride in doing.

A great shadow loomed over her and she looked up, her brows coming together. _Clouds?_  
The land had been so dry lately; not a single dark cloud in sight for miles, only clear blue skies and white fluffy clouds. She swallowed the last of her apple and sheathed her knife, hopping off the barrel. A sudden wind came, kicking up the dirt as she ran for cover under a merchant's tent. Giant drops of rain splattered the ground. The dirt and stone paved road quickly became submerged and little puddles showed up everywhere.  
"If you're not going to buy anything get out!" A man shooed her away, forcing her stand in the rain and she was drenched in under a minute. The town's people quickly took shelter, and main square became almost deserted. She watched as Driskoll and a few other men from the Watch run to New Quarter. Something was up and she was going to find out.

She followed after Driskoll, keeping a fair distance behind him so he or any of the other men from the Watch wouldn't notice her. They were headed towards the Westgate. She slipped through an alley, taking a short cut. If she wanted to know what was going on she would have to keep up another way. If Moyra were to run right up to the scene, she knew she would be turned away.  
They would say, "This is Watch business."  
Technically they wouldn't be wrong either; even if she was a Knight, she was also a civilian.  
From the distance where she stood, she could see the gate lowering and the Watch men with arrows drawn. It was hard to hear what was going on with all the rain, so she quickly tip-toed her way to the Westgate as close as she could. She poked her head out from the side, no other civilian was in sight, only the men of the Watch.

Soon, the gate was closing, and Torin was rushing back in with a young girl in his arms and two others following closely behind him. Driskoll was right there, too, running alongside them. He was talking but Moyra couldn't hear a thing.  
First the sudden downpour, and now three strange looking girls had been let in when the gate should have stayed closed. What was going on? Certainly her beloved town wasn't in danger again.

**Please leave a review! :)**


End file.
